FTC v. Rite Aid
FTC v. Rite Aid — Five-Year Facial Recognition Ban Consent Order
FTC · FTC v. Rite Aid Corp., No. 2:23-cv-05023 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 19, 2023)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- February 26, 2024
- Applies to
- Rite Aid Corporation and any successor or affiliated entity
The FTC banned Rite Aid from using facial-recognition technology in its stores for five years after finding the pharmacy chain's FRT system falsely tagged customers — disproportionately women and people of color — as shoplifters, leading to wrongful detentions and humiliations.
Who is protected: Retail customers — particularly women and people of color disproportionately misidentified by FRT
Legal detail
FTC v. Rite Aid Corp., No. 2:23-cv-05023 (E.D. Pa., consent order Dec. 19, 2023). Section 5 FTC Act unfairness theory: deploying FRT without reasonable accuracy, bias-mitigation, or consumer-redress safeguards is an unfair practice causing substantial consumer injury. Order: 5-year FRT ban; if Rite Aid resumes after, it must implement a comprehensive monitoring program; delete all face vectors collected; notify affected consumers.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | FTC |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Strength | Stronger |
| Citation | FTC v. Rite Aid Corp., No. 2:23-cv-05023 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 19, 2023) |
| Topics | facial recognition · biometric data · consumer protection |
| Agency page | FTC: Rite Aid Banned From Using AI Facial Recognition — FTC press release |
More AI rules in FTC
- FTC v. Amazon (Ring) · In effect
- FTC v. Amazon (Alexa) · In effect
- FTC v. NGL Labs · In effect
- FTC v. DoNotPay · In effect
- FTC v. Rytr · Repealed / replaced
- FTC Operation AI Comply (Sept. 2024) · In effect
Related facial recognition rules elsewhere
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Bristol VA PD facial recognition program (first VA local agency) · In effect
- Dallas PD Clearview AI facial recognition policy · In effect
- Ban biometric recognition in public accommodations (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Limit facial recognition in residential buildings (Ban The Scan) · Proposed / pending
- Texas v. Google · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.